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by kihophoric



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Monsta X Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-01 21:38:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17251847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kihophoric/pseuds/kihophoric
Summary: Changkyun is looking forward to having the entire dorms to himself over winter break, until he runs into another sleepy-eyed international student.





	Home

 

Funny how such a stressful place can become the world’s most peaceful in an instant.

Being an international student has (very) few advantages, and Changkyun put winter break towards the top of the list. He counts the days to the end of final exam season with vigor. Not only for the break from classes, but also a break from, well. Everything.

“I didn’t tank it, but I don’t wanna jinx it, either,” Jooheon chats offhandedly as he glances around their shared room before making a beeline towards his drawers.

Changkyun raps his knuckle against his desk. “Knock on wood, then. God knows you’ve been cramming your ass off for this one exam.”

Jooheon pauses his packing and looks up.  “I’m gonna miss you, man.”

Changkyun snorts. “This month will fly by. You’ll wish you didn’t have to see me again so soon.” Changkyun winks to soften his roommate’s frown.

“The offer’s still on the table if you change your mind about Christmas dinner at my parents’ place.”

“Thank you.” When Jooheon plainly stares back waiting, the latter adds, sincerity evident in the warmth in his voice, “I’ll miss you, too.”

 

 

 

One by one, the remaining students in his building bid adieu.

With the vicinity emptier, the air around Changkyun feels cleaner. Finally, one morning, he wakes up to hear no feet shuffling out in the hallways, no doors slamming, no voices from outside, nothing at all. Absolute silence. Feet clad in fuzzy socks pad to the window and eager arms throw open the shutters wide, letting the blast of frigid air in. Changkyun shares a pleased smile with himself.

Only to realize he wasn’t alone in the dormitory, after all.

He sees evidence of the other student soon enough, but his presence is elusive as snow. A glimpse of an oversized coat and a coral beanie rounding the hallway corner. The unavailable shower stall in the late afternoons. The single lit window on the far side of the building as Changkyun walks back to the dorms with take-out for dinner.

Neither makes an immediate move to approach the other. It appears they are both much obliging to give each other their personal space. Changkyun breathes easy again.

Days pass quietly, muted and in slow motion.

Changkyun sits on his bed, his legs stretched out comfortably with a blanket over, cradling a laptop. For the past few hours, some decent songs had begun to take shape, but each tapered off as his inspiration slipped. He considers taking the city bus downtown for ideas, but the thought of stepping into the cold pushes him back. He snuggles deeper into his blanket and hugs his stuffed monkey. Maybe another day.

 

 

 

Lighthearted steps turn cautionary as Changkyun nears an unexpectedly occupied communal kitchen. Armed with a plate of untoasted bread, he enters to see a lanky figure’s back facing him as he stood peering intently over the stovetop.

“I _am_ doing this right… right?” the boy causally mumbles to nobody in particular.

“Probably not?” A concerned Changkyun stands on his tiptoes for a better look. Not that he’s a cook by any means, but he hasn’t come across a single recipe requiring one to _boil_ marshmallows.

The other boy turns, a look of mild surprise flickering momentarily at the sudden guest. He slowly blinks, then shrugs and focuses his attention back towards his pot. Changkyun catches some grumbling that was cut short by a long, contagious yawn.

“What are you making?” Changkyun offers.

The boy keeps his half-lidded eyes on the stove as he responds. “Hot chocolate with marshmallows.” His pauses between words are deliberate, whether as a result of his own uncertainty or a lack of sleep, Changkyun can’t be sure.

“Oh. You can just drop the marshmallows in after you make the hot chocolate, then.”

“Are you sure they don’t need to be cooked?” The boy faces Changkyun, squinting suspiciously.

“Most definitely not.”

“Hmm.” Despite his reluctance, the boy fishes out the now-soggy marshmallows out of the boiling water and places them aside.

Changkyun gives the boy another once-over before tending to his own toast. The two drop into silence as they each focus on their dishes, with sizzling butter and bubbling milk filling the kitchen.

The hot chocolate now done and adorned with the previously-endangered marshmallows, the boy clears his throat and lifts up the bug. His face still etched with doubt, the boy poofs up his cheeks and blows into his mug before slowly taking a sip. Changkyun pauses his toast-making and curiously eyes the other as he is newly adorned a milk mustache while trying to slurp in a floating marshmallow. After a single sip, the boy’s grumpiness is won over by dawning astonishment. He tilts his head at Changkyun smiling in an all-too-familiar fondness uncharacteristic between strangers.

“Heavenly,” the boy beams. “Here.” He gingerly sticks his arms out holding the steaming mug.

Hesitating, Changkyun takes the offering and tilts it to his lips. The thick liquid takes over his senses, brisk and inviting as he savors the comforting bitter-sweetness of the chocolate. A stray marshmallow is captured by his tongue, surprisingly having preserved its soft and chewy texture.

“What do you think?” The boy asks, searching Changkyun’s face for validation.

“It’s perfect.”

 

 

 

He sees the boy again a few days later, in the laundry room.

“I like my blanket heated,” the boy says unprompted when Changkyun steps in. He seems to be in a cheerier mood, presumably because it’s nighttime and he looked awfully out of place upright and awake the other morning.

“Oh. That’s,” Changkyun heaves his laundry basket up on the table. “Not a bad idea.”

“You could say. I pride myself to be somewhat of an expert in that field.” The boy straightens himself up, as if he needs to be taller than the towering giant he already is.

“In what, heating things up?” Changkyun grins.

The boy pouts momentarily before regaining his poise. “In sleeping. Perfected it to an art form over the years. I can sleep through anything. And I’m pretty proud of it, too.” He drawled the last bit, banter evident in his tone.

“Isn’t that dangerous? What if there’s a fire?”

“So I probably shouldn’t sleep alone,” Hyungwon shrugs. “A minor flaw, really.”

Changkyun cocks his head, amused. “I don’t think I know your name…”

“Hyungwon.”

Changkyun repeated the name, weighing the syllables on his tongue. “I’m Changkyun.”

“Hmm. Changkyun.” He hears his name spoken like a lullaby, soft and unhurried.

 

 

 

“You know, you could buy a body pillow.”

Changkyun stops his busy rearrangement of his stuffed animals to one side of his bed and looks up in offense. “Do you… have a problem with my sleeping arrangements?”

“Of course not.” Hyungwon bites down his cheek to maintain a poker face, ultimately failing.

Changkyun stares aghast.

Hyungwon laughs unabashedly this time. “I’m saying, hugging a single long pillow might be less troublesome.”

Changkyun frowns, looking down at the giant monkey in his hands. “No, I need these specifically. Not everyone can be privileged enough to be easy sleepers.”

“Is that so?”

“Here, let me demonstrate,” he lies down and continues, “See, I wrap this one here across my stomach, like so. Then the shark goes between my knees, the rabbit near my back, and I hug the bear. The puppy stays next to my head. And so, one body pillow wouldn’t work. Why are you laughing?”

“You’re cute.”

“Don’t patronize me.” Changkyun turns over so his back faces the other, just in time to hide a smile blossoming on his face.

“Okay, my apologies. Hey,” His shoulder is met with gentle pokes. “You know yourself best. Turn around before I call your back cute, too.”

Still facing the wall, Changkyun brings hand up to cup his flushed cheek. “You can see yourself out now.”

A long pause. “Did I cross a line?”

Changkyun spins around and locks his worried eyes with a pair of unbearably guilty ones. And his heart breaks, melts, and grows all at once. He reaches his arm out to shorten the gap between the two of them.

“I think you’re too far away from it.”

 

 

 

Changkyun follows the dancing sunrays giving a spirited performance on the ceiling as he lies in bed. He stifles a yawn before carefully shifting onto his side towards his neighbor on his twin size mattress.

“Where are you?” he pokes a half-asleep Hyungwon’s arms and entwining his legs with the other’s. “Invisible man. No fat, no muscles, no nothing,” He traces his fingers over the other’s arms, hovering longer than necessary.

“Stop that,” Hyungwon stirs, jerking his arm away. “That tickles.”

“So weak,” Changkyun murmurs as he continued to caress Hyungwon’s arm ever so lightly.

“Hey!” Hyungwon laughs. “How is it gonna help if I gain weight, anyway? I’m still gonna stay ticklish.”

“Fair point,” Changkyun notes. “Looks like the game's rigged against your favor, then.” And with that, he launches a full-scale tickle attack, throwing Hyungwon (physically and vocally) into a fit of giggles.

Once he’s given mercy, Hyungwon readjusts  to face the other and questions, “You barely got any sleep again, didn’t you?”

Changkyun shrugs. “I slept enough.”

Hyungwon frowns. “You could go back to your own room–”

Changkyun wordlessly closes the gap between the two of them with a caste kiss. When he moves back, he remarks with a scoff, “I don’t value sleep as much as you do.”

Hyungwon squints. “Suit yourself.” He then burrows his head into the nook of Changkyun’s neck and proceeds to doze off again.

The days turned into weeks sooner than Changkyun had expected. The break hadn’t shaped out to be exactly the solitary refugee he originally had in mind. But seeing the peaceful figure sleeping in his arms and the warmth surrounding the two of them, maybe this particular body pillow wasn’t so bad. Maybe, just maybe, he could get used to this.


End file.
